Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen observes live-fire drill from warship
- Leader watched on from a destroyer off the northeast coast and said the armed forces had shown their determination to defend Taiwan
- It was part of the annual Han Kuang exercise and involved joint air and naval operations simulating the response to a PLA attack
Wearing camouflage clothing, Tsai, who is also commander-in-chief of Taiwan’s armed forces, observed the joint exercise from aboard the Keelung, a Kidd-class destroyer, on Tuesday morning.
Waters off the northeast coast became a mock war zone, with more than 20 warships and 16 warplanes carrying out anti-air, anti-sea and anti-submarine operations.
A live broadcast on Taiwanese station SETN TV showed minesweepers opening the way for warships including the Keelung, frigates and a missile corvette to enter the area about 50 nautical miles off the strategic port of Suao.
A surveillance aircraft and helicopter were used to hunt down an attack submarine, while sonars and deep-water bombs forced it to emerge, and missiles and cannons were fired to destroy decoys.
The drill went for about two hours and also included a coastguard patrol vessel put to the test as a warship, firing several rounds of rocket-assisted projectiles into the sea.
Tsai later thanked the island’s armed forces for doing a “good job” and said their efforts during the drill showed their determination to defend and safeguard Taiwan. It was just the second time she has boarded a warship to observe a drill since she took office in 2016.
